Attachment for crutches.



K. D. HARDING. ATTACHMENT FOR ORUTOHBS. APPLICATION FILED DBO.16, 1908.

1,003,103.- Patented Sept. 12,1911.

A TTORNE Y COLUMBIA FLANOURAPH c0.. WASHINGTON n c KATHRYN DOROTHY HARDING, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR CRUTCI-IES.

Original application filed April 24, 1908, Serial No. 429,068.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911. Divided and this application filed December 16, 1908. Serial No. 467,899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KATHRYN DOROTHY HARDING, a citizen of the United States, residing in Evanston, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Attachment for Crutches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices which are designed to prevent the crutch or crutches from slipping when they are used on ice or on other slippery places, and which may be put in or out of use at the will of the user without the necessity of removing the crutch from the arm-pit.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive form of attachment which may be used upon the ordinary crutches which are now on the market, wit-h very little change. Similar forms of accomplishing this result with which I am familiar are arranged so that the point of the rod is held by a spring normally in a retracted position and when it is advanced beyond the tip of the crutch by the engagement of a shoulder on the rod. This taking place upon the rod being moved laterally in the crutch through the slot formed in a metal plate attached to the cross piece. Practice has shown that where any degree of weight is placed upon the point of the rod, it serves frequently to dislodge the shoulder from engagement with the plate and the spring instantly retracts the rod to its normal position, permitting the crutch to slip and frequently causes severe falls.

My invention is designed to provide a rod which is held projected, both by a spring and by a positive lock, and cannot be retracted except the rod be rotated by the user of the crutch.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing may be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawings which are hereunto annexed and are a part of this specification; in which Figure 1, shows my improvement applied to a crutch. Fig. 2, is a cross section taken on the line X X in Fig. 8. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail view of my device. Fig. 1, is a cross section taken on the line a a in Fig. 3.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entire description.

As shown in the drawings, the crutch is provided with arms 1 and 2, a concave top- My improvement, as more clearly shown in the detail View, consists of a rod 6 carrled in suitable bearings 7 and 8. The rod 6 is projected downwardly through the central portion of the tip 5, and the lower end of the rod 6 is sharpened and adapted to engage the surface upon which the user is walking. The bearing 8 is formed, as better shown in the detall view, with a slot 9 extending laterally from the opening 10 through which the rod 6 passes, the bearing member is cast or formed in a single piece, and is detachably secured to the crutch by screws (not shown). This construction enables my attachment to be placed on any crutch by drilling a small hole through the tip thereof. The slot 9 is fitted to a pin 11, which is fixedly mounted upon the rod 6. A coil spring 12 is provided, exerting a tension to project the rod 6 downwardly, the locating of the spring 12 is of importance for two reasons. First, because when located adjacent the ground, the tip being constantly used in snow and ice, the spring rusts quickly and becomes inoperative by reason of a permanent set, or is so weakened by the rust as to be useless, and for the further reason that locating it as I do, obviates the necessity of drilling a recess in the tip of the crutch, hereby weakening it, as the recess has to be of considerable size in order to hold a spring of sufficient strength to do the work. A handle 13 is suitably secured to the top of the rod 6 to enable the operator to adjust the position of the rod 6.

The operation of this device is as follows :-When the user is walking upon a slippery surface or one where the need of a device of this character is felt, he turns the handle 13, which obviously may be of any desired form until the pin 11 is in register with the slot 9. The tension exerted by the coil spring 12 will operate to project the point of the rod 6 beyond the tip 5 of the crutch, when a slight rotation of the handle 13 will move the pin 11 out of register with the slot 9, causing it to engage the lower end of the bearing 8, which effectually prevents its retraction, while it will be obvious from the above description that when it is desired to retractthe point of the ro'dl (iyassl ighun and the sharpenedend ofthe rod.6. willbe held out of engagement with the. surface, which is being Walked upon. r V Although L have shown and described a specific'form 02tutilizing my invention, many' changes will" suggest themsel'ves to persons skilled' in the art, which will" fall within-1 the scope of my invention as clhiinedil Having described my invention" what I I regardias new anddesire' torse'cureby Let:-

tersl atentjis z p v Thel combination with a crutch, Having a small central! vertical opening; through its tip,,a rods1idably mountedin saidopjenii g, the lower end"ofsaidrodbeing;pointbd a handle set against; its'upper. endl adjacent the crutch, a bearing member, having tapering side walls and cross connectors, detachably secured to the crutch adjacent the cross bar, lbearingsiformed in said cross members, there being a slot formed in the lower cross con- ;necton extending laterally from the-bearing formed therein, a. pin projecting from one side offthe rod' adapted to register'witli the said slot, a coil spring located intermediate ,the cross connectors of the bearing members, ia pin holding said spring in place, said E spring, exerti'nga tension" toproject the point slot for: the purpose" set forth substantially as described;

mnmrmnonorar HARDING;

Witnesses:

EmzABm-rr Hnmms; ANGEUA BOTSCH.

copiessof .tliis atari-may be obtaineflafbnfiveicentsi each, by, addressing; the Commissioner-- of Patents,

' Washington, 1).. 0.! 

